Photo Credits: Facebook pages of the following pets: Doug the Pug; Priscilla the Mini Pig; Disco the Parakeet; TurboRoo the Two-legged Chihuahua | Collage created with PhotoGrid iPhone app.

Pets of all types are an integral part of life for many people. They teach us unconditional love and how to become responsible by caring for another living creature. These loveable animals hold special places in our hearts and images of “cute critters” and “candid pets” can be found everywhere on social media.

I’m a dog person and have been since I was a child. My family has had Irish Terriers through the years. As an adult, I had 2 rescue dogs (mixed breeds) whom I loved and I cherished my time as their “mommy”. Pets have been an important part of my life – as a child I had a few pet bunnies, some pet hamsters, and pet goldfish.

As an adult, for a few years I had a cat and when my husband & I got together, another dog joined our family – Trinity the Chihuahua. My husband also added birds to the list of pets. We currently have 2 pets – our little Chihuahua (Trinity) and a yellow cockatiel (Aries).

Some pets have taken social media by storm and have large followings on the popular platforms. Here are 4 of my favorite popular pets on social media. They are ranked in the order that I discovered them online and started following them. Their followings range from 34.5K to 1.8M and are growing.

TurboRoo the Two-legged Chihuahua

TurboRoo the Two-Legged Chihuahua | Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/Turbo.roo (July 20, 2015 FB post).

“Guess where we are? Last day on the west coast…. Of course has to end in Vegas!” — TurboRoo & RubyRoo | Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/Turbo.roo (July 5, 2015 FB post).

Bio: “Born on June 15, 2014; My name is TurboRoo! I was born without my front legs but, that has not stopped me one bit! I’m small but mighty and I am going to take on the world!!!!”

Why I like this pet: I first saw TurboRoo when his story first hit social media in the summer of 2014. His adoptive mom works at the vet clinic where the breeders brought him and she agreed to help out with this needy little puppy. Since then, I’ve been following TurboRoo and his adventures on FB, IG, and Vine. I like how TurboRoo and his family are paying it forward by helping other two-legged dogs get carts to help improve their quality of life.

• Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Siblings: Braxton (Puggle), Navin (Kitten), RubyRoo (2-legged Chihuahua)
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Turbo.roo (41K followers)
• Instagram:   @turboroo [RubyRoo: @2legged_rubyroo]
• Twitter: @RooTurbo
• YouTube: TurboRoo
• Vine: TurboRoo
• Website: www.turboroo.com
• Email: 2leggedturboroo@gmail.com
• Mail: PO Box 241140; Speedway, IN 46224

Disco the Parakeet

“Of course, I actually have 10.5 million views, but hey, I won’t be fussy! They got the ‘nobody puts Disco in the corner,’ and that’s what counts.” – Disco | Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/DiscoTheParakeet (March 30, 2015 FB post)

Bio: “Born in May 2010; I’m Disco, and I love to talk. Oh, and snore, and meow. And sing Rolling Stones’ songs. And quote Monty Python. Watch me in ‘Pets – Wild at Heart’ in 2015!”

Why I like this pet: Disco the Parakeet first showed up on my FB feed in summer 2014 and I clicked on his video. I was amazed at this little parakeet’s impressive talking abilities. I now subscribe to Disco’s YouTube channel and enjoy watching his videos. He also provides FB updates about his humans and announcements with links to new videos. In my opinion, Disco’s narratives are laugh out loud funny!

• Hometown: Rochester, New York
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/DiscoTheParakeet (171K followers)
• Instagram: N/A
• Twitter: @DiscoParakeet
• YouTube: Disco the Parakeet
• Vine: N/A
• Website: www.discotheparakeet.com
• Email:  N/A

 Priscilla the Mini Pig

“Rockin’ my pigkini on the beach today for all the cute lifeguards!” — Priscilla | Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/PriscillaTheMiniPig (July 29, 2015 FB post).

“Oink My Goodness! Pop and I are back at school for summer camp this week. We are going to be VIPs at ‘Pig Out On Books’ piggy camp. There’s going to be pig books, pig crafts, and pig snacks all week. Can’t wait to see some of our friends again!” – Priscilla & Poppleton | Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/PriscillaTheMiniPig (July 13, 2015 FB post)

Bio: “Born on April 29, 2013. My mom adopted me from Oink Oink Mini Pigs in south Florida.”

Why I like this pet: One of my friends on FB shared a link about Priscilla and I fell in love with this mini pig’s wardrobe and clever quips. I’ve been following Priscilla on FB for only a few months. The model-like photo shoots are quite impressive and her family is clearly very creative.

• Hometown: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
• Sibling: Pop(pleton) the Mini Pig (little brother)
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/PriscillaTheMiniPig (34.5K followers)
• Instagram: @prissy_pig
• Twitter: @prissy_pig
• YouTube: N/A
• Vine: N/A
• Website: www.theprissyandpopshop.spreadshirt.com
• Email: prissyandpop@gmail.com

Doug the Pug

“I’m a unicorn!” – Doug | Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/itsdougthepug (July 28, 2015 FB post)

Bio: “Doug the Pug is a 3-year old Pug living with his owner, Leslie Mosier, in Nashville, TN.”

Why I like this pet: Doug the Pug is another pet I’ve only recently found via Facebook, but apparently he’s quite popular with the most followers of these 4 and the title of “Entertainer” on FB. His family is also very clever with his photo shoots – he’s sure to bring a smile to your face.

• Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
• Facebook:   www.facebook.com/itsdougthepug (1.8M followers)
• Instagram: @itsdougthepug
• Twitter:   @itsdougthepug
• YouTube: http://youtube.com/dougthepug
• Vine: @itsdougthepug
• Website: www.dougthepugstore.com
• Email: dougthepugbiz@gmail.com

You’ll occasionally see pictures of our little dog on Facebook and sometimes Instagram. She even has her own hashtag (#trinitythechihuahua), but there are no plans at the present time for her to step into the spotlight like these popular pets. At nearly 13 years old, we’re just grateful our little dog still has spunk in her step and a waggin’ tail to greet us.

Trinity is our little Chihuahua. She is nearly 13 years old. #trinitythechihuahua | Photo Credits: Krista | Collage created with PhotoGrid iPhone app.

When you have a chance, be sure to check out these pets online – they’ll brighten your day and bring a smile to your face. These pets (and the families who share them with us) are great!

Who are some of your favorite pets on social media? Let me know in the comments so we can all check out these loveable pets online. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”